The Alarming Discovery in Adana
According to an investigation published on 4 August 2026 by the British newspaper The Guardian, irrigation canals in Turkey’s agricultural core are suffering severe microplastic contamination. The epicentre lies near a major recycling hub in the city of Adana, southern Turkey, which is supplied with plastic waste by British companies.
The polluted water, which overflows into farmlands after heavy rains, feeds a larger canal used to irrigate crops in the Çukurova plain – one of the largest and most fertile agricultural basins in the country.
What Is Waste Colonialism?
The term waste colonialism describes the practice of exporting plastic waste from wealthy nations to poorer countries that have less regulated waste management systems. Environmental activists point out that plastic exports from the UK and the European Union are driving the operations responsible for this contamination, leaving the most vulnerable residents of Adana to bear the consequences.
Staggering 2025 Figures
- 675,000 tonnes: Total plastic exported by the UK (highest in 8 years).
- 139,000 tonnes: Sent specifically to Turkey.
- Over 500,000 tonnes: Exported by the EU to Turkey (19% increase from previous year).
Impact on Adana (2021–2024)
- 13% of UK plastic waste to Turkey went to 8 facilities in Adana.
- 545 shipments made by 13 British companies.
- Total of 52,000 tonnes of plastic trash over three years.
Consequences and Voices of Alarm
Turkish marine biologist Sedat Gündoğdu from Sabancı University, who conducted the microplastic sampling, found that samples taken downstream from the recycling centre were 10 times higher than those from upstream sites. Gündoğdu has demanded mandatory installation of microplastic filters at all facilities and a total ban on plastic imports.
Meanwhile, legal specialist Amy Youngman from the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) criticised the UK for failing to keep pace with the EU in domestic recycling, creating a structural imbalance that shifts the harm onto Turkish communities.
Toward a Cleaner, Hopeful Future
Despite current challenges, there are glimmers of hope. Negotiations for a global plastics treaty, which collapsed last year, are expected to resume in 2027. The European Union has already imposed strict controls and will ban exports to non-OECD countries starting in November 2026. These measures, combined with growing pressure from organisations like Greenpeace, are driving the transition toward greater environmental responsibility and the development of more efficient, sustainable local recycling systems to protect our oceans and farmlands.
Original source: The Guardian